


Royally Screwed

by TeaFiend



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: All the fluff tropes, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Eventual Romance, F/M, Failed Marriage, Friends to Lovers, Misunderstandings, One Night Stands, Prince Ben Solo, Romantic smutty comedy, Rubbish ex-husbands, Smut, Virgin Ben Solo, a dash of angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-11-07 14:28:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17962328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaFiend/pseuds/TeaFiend
Summary: Rey's life takes a dramatic turn when she discovers that her one night stand, the man of her dreams, is in fact the Crown Prince, Ben Organa-Solo. And according to the media, she's apparently his secret girlfriend and star-crossed love of his life.





	1. The Lion's Den

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again, lovelies. I simply could not resist writing this little thing. Could. Not. We all need a little laughter, fun and smut in our lives after all. This is my first time dipping my toe into writing smut, so I'm a delicate mix of excited and nervous, haha. Mostly nervous. 
> 
> Rey is 25  
> Ben is 29
> 
> Enjoy xo

For the fourth time in a row, Rey tripped. “Oh… balls-!” she swore, wobbling a little more before regaining her balance. 

Behind her, Rose groaned loudly. “I  _ told  _ you that those heels were too high!”

Carefully, leaning with her shoulder against a shop window, Rey unhooked the crimson and sparkly heels and let her bare feet press against the cool tarmac. 

Oh, that was  _ so  _ much better. 

Rose caught up, giggling as Rey wiggled her toes. “Do you want me to hold them? I don't mind.”

They'd cost so much that Rey was determined to wear them, agony or not. “It's okay -- I'll put them back on when we get there.”

“Just watch out for glass!” Rose frowned as her friend turned away and began the journey down the street once more, a new spring in her step and heels bouncing happily within her grasp. 

Rey had chosen Constellations as the scene of the crime. The club sat at the end of main street, easily identifiable by its slick and shining black front dotted with a multitude of stars. At night, the stars shone like those above. Poe never frequented the place, which made it the perfect location to celebrate her newfound freedom. 

And the perfect place to find someone to make her forget all about Poe. 

  
  


Rose got carded. Twenty minutes in line, crammed in like sardines, then five more as the bouncer got out a small torch and held the diving licence up to Rose's face. She smiled rather nervously as the man squinted, looking between both pictures. “This really you?” he grunted. 

“Uh, yeah? The fringe is new.” Rose fidgeted with the hem of her emerald dress. 

“It makes you look younger.”

Rose blushed a bright crimson. “Thank you!”

The bouncer gave Rose the card back, his face completely blank of emotion. “It wasn't a compliment.” He unhooked the red rope and allowed them inside, still unsmiling. 

Once safely past the entrance, Rey burst out laughing. “Oh Rose! That was awful!”

Rose whined, closing her eyes tight shut. Rey took hold of her arm and hopped on one leg for a moment, slipping her heels back on. They still hurt though. She'd definitely pay for her boldness in shoes in the morning when her legs were seized up and feet like red footballs on sticks. 

Maybe she should have put some kitten heels on. Or stuffed a foldable pair of flats into Rose's little bag. 

Arm in arm, the pair proceeded through the galaxy themed corridor and into the main area. The music slammed into her the second they stepped across the threshold and into the dark circular room, making her wince a little. Rey supposed it was very pretty in a gaudy space way, the domed ceiling above a light show of planets and even more stars. 

Stars. Rey certainly hoped that she'd be seeing another type of star before the evening was over. The kind only a man could create. She pressed her thighs together in anticipation, wondering how the hell she'd gotten herself into such a position where a one night stand would seem fun and exciting. 

_ Oh yeah _ , she reminded herself.  _ A cheating husband. That's how.  _

There were twelve alcoves framed with crimson curtains circling the ground floor, most of them taken. Rey grabbed Rose's hand and all but dragged her around the mass of writhing and dancing bodies in the middle of the room, claiming the nearest one she could find. When Rey threw herself down upon the plush red velvet seat, she noted the lion motif behind her head.  _ The Leo Alcove  _ a fancy little brass plaque illuminated by little lights proclaimed. 

How fitting since she was on the hunt for prey. 

“What do you want to drink?” Rose half-yelled, clutching her black bag close to her chest. 

“Something strong!” Rey called back. Anything would do as long as it was alcoholic. This was a celebration after all! It required a double at least. Something that would take the edge off the persistent nerves jangling in her stomach. 

When Rose moved towards the illuminated bar, Rey turned her gaze upon the actual people in the room; plenty of girls wore their dresses short and legs bare, feet clad in similar heels to her own. They twisted and turned in the flashes of white light, sweat gleaming on their bodies and hair pasted to their bare shoulders. Rey found it rather beautiful to watch them dance, like they were mystical creatures made of stars. 

Rather than feeling like a tantalising siren also, Rey felt like she didn't belong there; she tugged once more at the hem of her crimson strapless dress, wishing it at least reached her knees.  _ No,  _ Rose had complained when she'd originally gone for the blue number, sleeves reaching her elbows and hemline to her knees.  _ You're going to a club, not a wedding. Old Rey was that blue dress. New, free and fierce Rey is the red. New Rey is a lioness.  _

New Rey. She was still getting used to that. 

A sudden hiss made Rey start violently, eyes widening as she looked to the dance floor that was now filling up with smoke. Just a smoke machine, turning the dancers into throbbing ghosts. 

Rose emerged from the smoke coughing, nose wrinkled up and strap of her purse between her teeth. In each hand she held a drink, offering the dark one to Rey. “Bourbon and coke,” Rose said, voice muffled slightly. Rey accepted it eagerly and took a sip. It was delicious. 

“To freedom!” Rey proclaimed, raising her glass as her friend sat down with a little  _ oof.  _

Rose beamed, clinking their glasses. “To being single!”

Single. Rey was still trying to get used to that word. She had thought that she'd be married to Poe for the rest of her life, the happily ever after she'd always dreamed of when she was a child in school with him. But no -- Poe had ruined that by sticking his cock where it didn't belong. 

Right in one of her best friends. 

It had been a hard year full of screaming, arguing and endless drama. But that was finally coming to a close with the divorce papers sitting in her apartment. All it needed was Poe's scribble on the dotted line and she'd truly be free to start her new life. Whatever that might be. 

Free! What a strange notion. 

“Come on” Rey laughed, suddenly giddy with a smattering of nerves mixed in. “Let's go find me a man that can fuck the very  _ memory _ of Poe outta me.”

Rose grinned, slurping on her straw for a minute. “Okay. So what are we looking for?”

“Uh…” Rey thought for a moment. “No one that looks like Poe.”

“No shit, Batman (!)”

Rey's gaze fell on a tall man with a bun atop his head. “A man bun maybe?” she suggested weakly. 

Rose slapped her hand over her eyes, groaning loudly. “You are terrible at this.”

“Sorry.” Rey flushed. She gulped down a mouthful of drink, praying for liquid courage. “I've never been scouting for dick before.” 

Rose shifted closer, setting her drink down upon the floor; she indicated for Rey to peer into the smoky gloom of dancing bodies. “Who do you think is hot out there? Which one would you rather see naked?” 

Hot? Not many. Rey squinted and carefully inspected each and every face she could see, but there was nothing remarkable. Nothing that made her heart and other places leap. “That blond looks nice?”

Rose followed her gaze, making a face when she spotted the man. “In the blue plaid? Ew. He looks like he might kidnap you, stuff you into a trunk and then take you to his chicken farm.”

“A chicken farm?” Rey got a terrible fit of giggles at that. It was so Rose. So beautifully random. She slurped down the rest of her drink in one go, the burn pleasant as it went down. 

“Just work with me here! What about the one in the white shirt? By the table?” Rose suggested rather keenly. 

“His face is weird.” And he had a moustache. That would not feel nice against her face and… other places. 

“Yeah,” Rose remarked cheekily, “but it's not his  _ face _ you should be bothered about right now. Cast your eyes downwards girl, because that man is hung like a horse and could probably eat you out like one.”

Like a-! Rey felt like curling up into a ball from embarrassment.  _ Why  _ had she agreed to this again? She'd never had a one night stand before! This was… completely not her forte. So far from it! She'd slept with one man her entire life, for goodness sake! It had all sounded so good and fun when she and Rose were sat having tea on the sofa. 

The reality was that Rey was completely out of her depth. She was positively drowning. 

“I need another drink,” Rey muttered, hauling herself onto her feet. Her nails clinked on the glass, painted red to match her outfit. She weaved around the edge, dodging bodies as she went. Just as she was about to reach the bar, something hard collided into her shoulder; Rey's legs wobbled and her balance betrayed her, glass tumbling from her hand and smashing all over the floor. She was going down, and going down hard at that. 

Strong arms caught her. Rey squeaked as her heels scrabbled for purchase, but found none on the glass strewn floor. 

Why,  _ why  _ had she come to a _ club  _ of all places? This was a terrible,  _ awful  _ day!

“Are you alright?” a deep and masculine voice asked, laced with concern. 

Or not. 

Rey gaped much like a fish as she stared up into the face of her saviour; finally remembering how unsexy it was, she closed her mouth. “Thank you so much! It's these heels -- they're horrible!”

The man chuckled and Rey felt his entire chest rumble against her own. “I wouldn't know.”

He was…

Gorgeous didn't seem like a strong enough word in that moment. Rey stared with wide eyes into the shadowed face of the man, meeting dark but warm eyes framed by ebony hair. 

Now her heart leaped. So did her stomach and other places beside. 

The man carefully set her down, making sure that she didn't slip over again; Rey was just glad that she was still close enough to grab him when her heels skidded once more on the glass. “I'm so sorry!” Rey apologised as she squeezed his arm hard by accident. “I  _ swear _ I'm not doing this on purpose. It's these damn-!”

“Heels?” he finished with a grin, bright in the darkness. “Come here-” he gently shifted her away from the mess and the bar, towards an alcove situated opposite hers and Rose's. Rey gratefully took the seat he offered to her, wasting no time in kicking off her blighted heels with a snarl. She'd sold Poe's beloved Xbox in revenge for them. What a waste!

The man took the seat next to her. Rey finally allowed herself to truly look at him, eyes appraising every inch of him; he wore a suit, which wasn't something she'd seen anyone else wearing in the club. The jacket lay next to him in a folded pile, leaving him in a white buttoned down shirt. A few buttons were open at the top, exposing a line of neck that made Rey stare a little. And his arms-! He was strong, that was for sure -- no one with arms like that was weak or weedy. Rose's advice on looking elsewhere that night passed through her brain that moment and she glanced down briefly before managing to stop herself. 

Yeah. 

Um.

He ticked all the boxes. Even the boxes she didn't even know she had. 

The gentleman cleared his throat quietly, hands on his knees. “Can I get you a drink, perhaps?”

“A drin-? Oh, yes please. If you don't mind?”

The radiant smile returned. “I don't mind at all. Anything for a lady as lovely as yourself. What would you like?”

Lovely. 

He'd called her lovely. 

Holy-! This man…

“I… bourbon and coke?” Rey replied, feeling slightly faint. Her luck wasn't this amazing. Surely. 

She felt all tingly. 

He nodded, shoving a hand into his pocket. “I'll be right back.” The man turned away and Rey cursed that it was so dark that she couldn't appreciate the rear view also. 

_ “Rey!” _

Rose appeared from the mass of people, eyes worried; Rey called her name and waved her over. “Don't do that!” her friend scolded her, clutching her empty glass. “I thought the man with the chicken farm kidnapped you. Are you okay? Your hair is a mess.”

Immediately Rey's hands went to her hair, attempting to flatten it. “Oh no-! That's just great. Perfect.”

“Here-” Rose said sympathetically, giving Rey her items before raising her fingers to her hair, deftly sorting out the soft curls tumbling around her face. A few minutes later and Rose beamed, taking a step back. “As perfect as always.”

Rey smiled fondly, handing the items back. “What would I do without you?”

“Die of boredom?”

“Definitely,” Rey agreed. She was about to tell Rose about her unexpected encounter when somebody stepped into the alcove. 

“Hey!” the man with dark skin barked at the pair, a scowl on his face. “This one is taken.”

Rose scoffed, thoroughly unimpressed. “I don't see your name on it.”

“Oh come on,” the man nearly whined desperately. “I'll pay you. I can't have any issues tonight.”

_ “Is there a problem here?” _

He'd returned, a drink in each hand. Rey noted the way he stared at the other male, an eyebrow raised. Without preamble Rey was given her drink, the man taking a sip of his own. 

Understanding seemed to blossom behind the new man's eyes, face relaxing slightly. “Oh! My mistake. I'm sorry.”

Rose tapped her empty glass with a finger, eyes fixed firmly on his own. “How about you buy me a drink to apologise?”

“A drink?” The man blinked, looking immediately to Rey's eye candy. “Sir?”

He scowled deeply at the title. “It's Ben, not  _ Sir. _ And go if you want -- you're an adult.”

“But you-?” 

“Go already,” the man revealed as Ben sighed in delicate frustration. “I have company here with-?” he turned to look at her. His brow furrowed. 

“Rey,” she offered. 

“With Rey,” he finished. 

Rose smiled brightly, linking her arm with the spluttering man and beginning to pull him away. “That's settled then! I'm Rose by the way.”

“Uh… Finn?”

“Come on Finn, let's go.” Rose threw a wink over her shoulder at Rey, leaving the young woman to blush furiously. Her friend was as subtle as a rampaging bull. 

Ben laughed under his breath, causing Rey to look back to him. “A character, that one.”

“You've no idea,” Rey agreed wholeheartedly. After a sip of drink, she wondered something. “Why did he call you Sir?”

All at once, the amusement in Ben's eyes seemed to vanish and Rey wondered just what she'd said that was so wrong. Maybe she should have just let it slide? But she was genuinely curious; he was a very finely dressed man. He had money then. 

“He works for me,” Ben shrugged, not quite meeting Rey's intrigued gaze. 

“Do you come out clubbing with your employees often?”

“No,” he admitted with a quiet laugh. “This is the first time I've ever been in a club.”

“Same,” Rey grimaced, looking around at the dancing couples. “I thought once I was here, it'd be more fun. But it's a nightmare, really; I hate dancing. Can you dance?” she added as an afterthought. 

Ben nodded, gaze somewhere but there for a moment. “Yes, I can dance. Not this mating display suff, the more traditional form.”

“Like the waltz and ballroom?” A man of many talents!

“Yes, that.” Ben knocked back his drink and got to his feet, grin wide upon his face; he held out his hand before Rey. “Take my hand and I'll show you. If you want?”

It felt like the most natural, most perfect thing in the world as Rey took Ben's hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. God, he was tall. He practically dwarfed her hand with his own as he threaded their fingers. Her free hand he placed upon his shoulder, then Ben took her waist in a firm grip. 

Rey felt her breath catch. Wow. Was this… real? Were they really going to ballroom dance in a pulsating club? Clearly she was drunk. No, the both of them. 

But there was something there. An energy between them, intoxicating and ever growing. It made Rey's heart pound. 

Ben looked down between them before meeting her gaze once more; Rey found herself utterly incapable of looking away, transfixed by the warmth in those eyes. “We need to be closer,” he said softly, looking down between them. 

“Even closer?” Rey wasn't certain that she'd be able to handle closer. Their bodies touching, brushing each other. She felt very hot already and if they shifted together anymore, she was going to combust on that very spot. 

Ben placed a hand upon the small of her back and shoved her closer until their chests nearly touched. 

Oh-!

Oh  _ fuck _ . 

She would have this man, Rey decided as her knees nearly turned to jelly. She would ride this man, this beautiful Ben, and he'd make Poe nothing more than a bad memory. Before the night was through, she was going to make him scream and she would echo it in their symphony of passion. 

Rey's cheeks burned crimson as she gathered the courage to look up into his handsome face again; he met her eyes easily and grinned, beginning the slow movements around on the spot. Together they made an utter mockery of a ballroom dance, more Ben's awkward laughs and Rey's giggles than anything smooth and sexy. She felt like she was about to collapse, head spinning and blood rushing loudly in her ears. In the end, Rey pulled away, citing that she needed to sit down. 

Before she fell down. Because of this ridiculously handsome man that seemed to be into her.  _ Really _ into her. 

Ben sat down too, closer this time she noticed; their thighs brushed and his hand upon his knee was so very close to her bare leg. She could feel his heat, his closeness. It was damn near overwhelming. 

“Hair,” he said suddenly, fingers soft against Rey's cheek as he caught a stray lock that had fallen into her eyes, tucking it safely behind her ear. Rey tensed up at his touch, completely taken by surprise. It was so gentle, so considerate that it took her breath away. “I'm sorry,” Ben apologised swiftly, jerking his hand back. “I didn't mean to-”

Rey never let him finish as she let the gathering storm within her free. She twined her arms around his neck and pulled him towards her, crushing their mouths together. Ben made a surprised noise, his eyes flying wide, but a moment later he eagerly threw himself into the kiss. 

He kissed like a raging flood, all tongue and teeth where Poe had been a quiet river. Ben gripped her thighs and pulled her onto his lap without preamble. The raw strength of the move nearly finished Rey on the spot and she moaned loudly. 

Dear God, what would it feel like once he was actually inside her? Rey trembled a little with barely contained anticipation. 

“Fuck,” Ben groaned against her mouth as she shifted to straddle him upon the sofa, pushing him back against the plush red velvet with a single shove to the chest. Rey arched her back as his questing hands found the back of her thighs, fingers sliding up and beneath the pitiful hemline of her dress. He teased at the line of her panties, bringing Rey down from her high just long enough to sit back a fraction, panting heavily. 

Ben was a beautiful disaster with his lips red and swollen from the intensity of their kissing, pupils blown wide as he stared at her with a slightly dazed expression. Rey couldn't resist in raising a hand and running it through his thick and luxurious hair, marvelling at how silky it felt against her fingers. She could only imagine how marvellous it would feel against the expense of her stomach, splayed across her skin as he ate her out. 

God, she was  _ burning _ for the first time in years. 

The dress had ridden up scandalously, but Rey didn't care who could be looking as Ben rubbed small circles into her hips with his thumbs. “Do you want to…?” he started in a thick voice, staring into her face like a man who couldn't quite believe his good fortune. 

“God yes,” Rey nodded, stealing another kiss from his parted lips. Her hand met his shoulder and raked its way down the front of his white shirt, coming to rest against the rock hard bulge situated between them. The moan he gave was utterly filthy as she rubbed the heel of her palm against him, slowly and torturously. 

“Oh sweet Je-!” His hips jolted against her hand as she pressed a little harder. One of Ben's hands pulled itself free of her dress and caught her wrist, holding fast. “Don't,” he warned breathlessly. “Not here.”

Rey let him hold her wrist, but that didn't stop her from pressing her damp, barely covered center against his hardness and grinding against it. The moans tumbled from Rey's mouth as the delicious friction caused the pool of heat low in her belly to come close to overflowing. He just felt so…  _ good _ . She wanted more.  _ Needed _ more like she was drowning and his body was the blissful air she craved. Just one more touch. To feel the sweet, aching burn between her thighs transform into a raging inferno and-

Ben grabbed her waist. Hard, with his fingers digging into her. “Not.  _ Here, _ ” he growled, grip tightening as her hips attempted to cant against him once more. 

A bead of sweat shone upon his forehead. Rey smirked, body relaxing in his firm grip. “Where then? Because I think you need this as bad as I do judging by your admirable restraint.”

That  _ growl  _ of his-! It did things to her. Rey wanted to hear it again, his lips pressed against the shell of her ear, snarling as he tumbled over the edge alongside her into ecstasy. 

“I have a room, just… “ Ben's eyes looked over her shoulder, appraising the dance floor still full of thick smoke and dancing bodies with wariness in his eyes. Their illicit activities hadn't been noticed. Yet. “I do need it,” he admitted in a great rush. “So much I can barely fucking breathe right now. But…”

Rey climbed off him. She took great care in bending down with her uncovered ass situated right in Ben's face, grabbing her red heels and slipping them back on. When she turned back to face him, Rey had never seen anyone, not even Poe in the early days of their marriage, look at her with such intensity. Like he was the predator on the hunt, not she. 

Rey tugged at the line of her dress so that the room didn't get an eyeful of her matching red lace panties, suddenly aware of just how audacious her acts had been. Normal, unhappily married Rey wouldn't so much as dreamed of acting in such a way. Poe would have called it slutty, that she wasn't acting like the good girl he was so used to. That everyone was used to. So timid and boring and… 

Her confidence wavered a fraction as she watched Ben rise to his feet and grab his suit jacket, slinging it over one arm. But she needn't have worried as Ben held out his free hand for her to take. He was smiling. “Let's get out of here.”

Rey took his hand with a grin. "Lead the way."   
  
  



	2. Shared Breaths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so very much for all the lovely encouragement and kindness. It really means so much to me. Well... Here we are! It's clothes off time. Am I nervous about posting this? Maaaaaybe. 
> 
> You can come find me screaming about Star Wars, Adam Driver and general British and writing stuff at my Twitter, @thewickedpowers.

When they emerged outside of the club, Rey could finally breathe again. She stood there for a moment and let the cool night air caress her bare arms and line of her shoulders. The moon had appeared from somewhere, bathing Ben in its soft glow and turning his hair almost quicksilver.

Rey found herself shivering just seconds later. Before she could protest, Ben had draped his suit jacket around her shoulders, positively dwarfing her. Touched by his thoughtfulness, she looked up at him with a genuine smile. “Thank you. But why?”

That was… a new one. It smelled like expensive cologne and something distinctly masculine that appealed to her very much. 

Ben blinked twice as if taken aback by her question. “It's a cold night. What kind of man would I be if I let you freeze?”

Rey didn't quite know how to answer that sensibly, so she simply drew him down for another long and passionate kiss, moaning softly against his lovely, plush lips. She drew back a little. “I have another way you could warm me up,” she whispered just loud enough for him to hear. 

There was that little growl again -- it shot straight between Rey's legs, adding another log to the fire burning deep within her. If he didn't hurry up, she was pretty certain that she'd have him right here on the very road itself. 

Ben took her hand once more and they began walking down the darkened street, one of the lights overhead flickering wildly and throwing their shadows against the walls in staccato bursts. Rey felt the unease creep into her as they slipped around the rear of the building and towards a back street. Where were they going? She asked. 

“Car,” Ben replied, bringing them through a thin line of trees. He stopped them before a sleek and shiny black car parked beneath a street light. Rey couldn't help but notice that it was a very expensive model. A Silencer the TV adverts had called it, not even giving the price. It was for the wealthy elite, no one else. 

Ben was rich, Rey realised in that instant. Very much so if the car was evidence enough. And the suit around her shoulders was probably worth more than she was. 

How had she gotten so lucky? Unless…

Rey pulled her hand from his, tugging the jacket more around her. “You're not going to kill me, are you? Or kidnap me?”

For a long moment Ben stared, disbelief slowly spreading across his face like ink on paper. “Do I look like a murderer?” he asked, sounding rather hurt. 

“I don't know you,” Rey admitted with a shrug. “I don't know what you want.”

Ben's tongue wet his bottom lip. “You,” he said huskily. “Just you. That's all I want tonight.” He unlocked the car with a press of a button, opening the passenger door for for her. “I promise. Nothing more.” 

This was insane, of course it was. But still Rey walked forward and got into the car, settling back against the rich leather seat. As the door shut, she thought of Rose. Guilt squirmed in her stomach as she regretted not telling her friend where she'd gone. If Ben just slit her throat, who'd know? Rey didn't even have her phone. It was currently sat in Rose's trusty bag. 

“What about your friend?” Rey asked as he slid behind the wheel with a little grunt. “Finn?”

Ben started the car, the machine roaring to life beneath her. Even his car growled like a predator. He chuckled and tossed her a look, fingers caressing the line of the wheel. “He'll be fine. What about your friend? The Rose without any thorns?”

“She'll be fine,” Rey blurted out. Rose would be! She was intelligent enough to know where she'd gone. Wasn't that the whole point of tonight? For Rey to end up in bed with some man and ignore her problems for one evening at least? 

God, she was overthinking everything. Even the pressure between her legs had dulled somewhat, heart no longer pounding. Rey was going to talk herself out of this before they'd even started getting any clothes off. “Let's go,” Rey ordered, placing a bold hand upon his knee. She squeezed once. “Now.”

Ben grinned and Rey felt the flames stutter back to life. “As you command.” 

The tires screamed as they sped off. 

  
  
  


Rey spent the entire journey silent, her hands clasped together in her lap to stop her fidgeting. Ben had left the music off, the only noise the hum of traffic on the road. The silence became so defending that when Ben pulled into a parking area off the busy street, it was a relief. 

The hotel was huge. Rey's eyes widened as she stared up at the golden and resplendent building, recognising it as Canto Bight. Five stars, Michelin starred food and completely out of her price range. Even a years wages would only just cover a week at the place, and that was only sleeping. It didn't include eating or whatever luxury services they offered. Rey felt completely out of place. Out of her depth also. 

Rather than park around the front, Ben went around the back where it was darker and emptier, a tired looking valet waiting at his booth. It had just gone midnight the glowing numbers on the dashboard told Rey. They got out together and the valet took the keys. He asked what room and Ben replied 5R. The valet just stared, keys in hand and mouth slightly open. “Yes sir,” he near squeaked, tripping over his own feet a little as he got into the car. 

Rey looked around in utter fascination when Ben led her up the wide steps and through a set of golden doors; the emerald green enamelling on the side entrance was something exquisite. On closer inspection, Rey spied forests with beautiful birds set into them. Peacocks were a recurring theme. Even the shining oak wood underneath her feet was complimentary to the green and gold. 

“This place is beautiful.” Rey looked around once more as they stopped before the elevators, Ben pushing a button to call it. Never in all her life had she seen such opulence. Such beauty. It was almost too much to comprehend. Everything was so… expensive. She didn't belong there, not even for a night. 

The nerves returned. 

Ben looked up, gazing at the gold ceiling briefly. “It's gaudy,” he stated rather flatly. “It used to be elegant, but then the new owner took over. Thankfully the rooms seem to have escaped the makeovers so far. ”

“Well, agree to disagree on this one.” Rey sneaked a look up at him; Ben was staring at her again. Upon being caught, he grinned and she returned it rather nervously. 

This man, he-

The elevator dinged open and Ben gestured for her to go first. 

Thank God there was no Muzak. Rey didn't think she could handle that level of awkwardness. The doors slid shut with a soft rattle. Rey expected silence to fall once more, to stand next to each other like statues until they reached their destination. But that wasn't what happened. 

Rey gasped as her back met with the golden wall of the elevator, Ben's mouth hot upon her own. In that moment she felt her worries and woes melt away into nothing and she eagerly leaned into the kiss. The jacket around Rey's shoulders fell away and onto the floor as he took hold of her waist and began to hoist her up onto his hips. Rey made a startled noise as she slipped in his grasp and chose to hook a leg around his hips instead, one foot firmly upon the ground. 

“You're so fucking beautiful,” he groaned as they parted lips briefly, hands now roving down her waist to her hips, tugging at the hem of her dress. “I never thought you could desire someone this badly. I want to…”

“What do you want to do?” Rey asked breathlessly, hands winding into the front of his shirt; a button had popped off at some point during the night. 

“I want to fuck you,” he growled into her mouth. Rey cried out as a hand slipped past the line of her panties and cupped her, causing her hips to buck sharply against his palm. 

Holy fucki-!

Rey ground her hips against his fingers, desperately seeking friction of any kind.  _ Something  _ to ease the burn. Anything. Why didn't he  _ move-!  _ “Please,” Rey begged, hair tumbling into her eyes as she looked downwards at his hand situated between her legs, impossibly still upon the warm mound of flesh. He made no sign of moving his fingers. “Please, just touch me. Let me ride your hand before I ride your cock.” 

His hand twitched at that last word and Rey whimpered as a single digit pressed into her, brushing against her clit. It was barely more than a whisper of touch, but Rey wanted more.  _ Needed  _ more. He'd awakened something deep within her and she was quite certain that it would never go back to sleep now. 

“God yes-” she moaned as the finger crooked within her, moving her hips in time with the little twists of his finger. Then he added another, stretching her out pleasantly. 

“Damn things,” Ben growled as the panties caught his wrist, stalling his movements. Rey complained when he withdrew his fingers, but helped him pull off her underwear all the same. He hung them on his little finger for a moment, gazing at the red lace. Then he tucked them into his back pocket. 

The lift bell dinged and Rey immediately wrenched the line of her dress down, eyes wide as she turned to the opening doors. Thankfully there was no one waiting. Ben slid his hand into her own and after grabbing his fallen jacket, led them down a hallway to the end door; his fingers fumbled on the key card drawn from a pocket, so Rey took it and swiped it for him. Anything to get in faster. He pocketed it without a word. 

The door had barely closed before Ben had her up against it, jacket on the floor and bodies pressed flush together. Slowly, the lights came on all around them. Rey caught his bottom lip between her teeth while her hands went for his belt, unbuckling it with frantic fingers. Once open, she yanked down the zip, button popping open from the force. After kicking off his shoes, Ben pulled off his trousers, underwear along with them and nudged the pair away. 

“How does it open?” Ben asked in a constricted voice, pulling his lip free. His fingers hesitated upon her hips. “The dress?”

“Zipper. Right side.” Rey's fingers began to work at the buttons of his shirt. She pushed the fabric off his shoulders when the buttons were free, sliding her palms across the vast expanse of his chest. Rey blinked twice -- there was just so much of him. So much _ muscle.  _ He'd hidden that well beneath the crisp shirt and tailored suit. 

Ben's clumsy fingers found the zipper on her dress and he pulled it down easily. Rey shimmied it off her body with a little assistance from Ben. Thank God she'd forgone wearing a bra, even strapless. She made to kick off her heels, but he made a sudden noise of protestation. “No. Keep them on.” He made her head spin with another deep kiss, hands coming to rest upon her bare hips. “Just them,” he breathed. 

Rey smiled coyly, pulling back from his mouth. “Do you have a thing for my heels, good sir?”

Ben's response was to press his rigid length against her stomach, making her moan softly. “I think I may have a thing for  _ you _ ,” he said in a low rumble. 

“Get on the bed” Rey ordered suddenly, meeting his eyes. She was done with being meek, soft and quiet. A good little girl. She needed him this instant or she would explode on the spot from scorching desire. “ _ Now _ .”

The rear view was incredibly enticing as he obeyed and turned away, his eyes slightly glazed over. And that was before she'd seen the front view Rey reminded herself. Ben's back was corded muscle, a Greek marble made flesh. And that wasn't counting his ass. 

It was a very nice ass. 

Rey followed, feeling suddenly vulnerable in nothing but crimson heels. She felt the urge to cover her bare breasts with folded arms or her hands. Even more so when they reached the bedroom and Ben turned to face her. That blaze of confidence urging her on faltered momentarily at the sight before her. 

Ben really was the most gorgeous man Rey had ever clapped eyes upon. It almost didn't seem fair for one person to have zero imperfections. But Rey found nothing as her eyes slowly roved down his body, past his heaving chest to his stomach to his-

Rey definitely didn't see anything wrong in  _ that _ department; He stood before her rigid and proud. His length bobbed slightly as he sat down upon the edge of the sprawling bed and Rey couldn't stop herself from staring. Wow. How could one man have it all? Surely there had to be _ something  _ wrong with him. 

She finally tore her gaze away and up to his face; Ben was staring also. At her breasts with his mouth slightly open. Rey flushed a dark crimson and shook her hair back over her shoulder, only just stopping her hands from rising and covering her chest. “On your back,” she demanded, voice slightly higher in pitch. 

“Yes ma'am.” 

Rey wrinkled up her nose, stepping to the foot of the bed. “Don't say that -- you make me sound like the queen.”

Ben spluttered in the most unsexy way possible. He shifted back until he was lying with his head on one of the fluffed up pillows, dark hair spread around his face like a halo. “Dear God, Rey-!  _ Don't _ mention the queen right now.  _ Please,”  _ he near begged. 

“Fine,” Rey smirked, kneeling upon the bed and crawling up between his spread legs. “I won't mention the monarchy.”

“You just did,” Ben complained with a whine. 

The devious little smirk grew. Rey leaned down and pressed her lips to the head of his cock, making the man wind a hand into the sheets and groan in a strangled way. “Sorry?” she apologised cheekily. 

Ben's hands caught hold of her waist and he pulled her up towards his face. Rey laughed giddily against his lips as they met, pressing her body against the length of his. “I thought you wanted to ride me?” Ben asked in a low rumble, mouth finding her shoulder and kissing it. “Are you… ready?”

“Oh I'm ready.” She'd been ready in the damn elevator. Rey wasn't wet, she was positively soaked. And all because of this stupid, handsome man that made her heart jump every single time he looked at her. 

What a shame this was a one night only thing. Maybe… Maybe she could ask for his number afterwards-? 

Rey shoved the thought away -- a man like Ben was utterly out of her league. Once he caught a glance at her baggage, at her messy divorce and debts, he'd be gone. And she wouldn't blame him one bit. 

It was strange, being on top. Rey stared down at the man as she shuffled around into position, aligning herself with him. Ben caught her eye and grinned lazily, gaze flickering to her breasts; he raised his large hands and cupped them easily, thumbs brushing across each peak. Rey watched him marvel with wide eyes as they hardened at his touch. 

“You're so lovely” Ben whispered, caressing her breasts with a gentleness that Rey didn't expect. 

Why did he have to be so  _ nice?  _ Both literally and figuratively. It was maddening. 

Rey took him firm in hand and sank down onto his length with a low moan. Muscles not used for over a year strained as they stretched to accommodate his girth. Slowly, carefully, she took him in entirely until she bottomed out. 

He was…

This was...

God she had missed sex. The exquisite feeling of  _ fullness _ . 

“Oh fuck-!” Ben swore, his hands sliding down to hold her hips. “You're so  _ warm _ .”

Rey tucked her hair behind her ears, gazing down at him; Ben's cheeks were spotted red and his eyes tight shut. He looked like a thoroughly debauched mess before they'd even started. When she rose until just the head of his cock remained inside of her, Rey watched his expression closely; His slightly parted lips were so inviting, so enticing. She couldn't help but kiss them as she began to move up and down upon him. 

Rey wasn't gentle -- it had been over a year. She braced herself with her hands against his shoulders, lips still battling with his own. Ben was more vocal than she'd expected, either moaning or swearing into her mouth with every thrust she gave, his hips coming up to meet hers in a clash of damp skin. When his eyes opened, he watched her with such an intensity that Rey felt like a goddess given human form. 

With Poe she'd always needed to slip a hand down between their bodies and help herself reach completion. But there was no need for it as Ben pressed his large thumb into her and against the bundle of sensitive nerves. As long as he stayed right  _ there,  _ he didn't even need to move his hand. Every shift of her hips caused the pad of his thumb to rub deliciously against her clit, pleasure shooting through her each and every time. Bless the man and his huge hands. 

Ben came first, just minutes later. He didn't yell or shout her name, but Rey found the way he closed his eyes and screwed up his face to be far sexier. That, and when he released a long and low groan that made his chest vibrate, shooting a thick jolt of wet heat into her. It was true power to be able to reduce a man like Ben to such a mess Rey decided as she quickened her pace, seeking her own release. 

Finally, she crashed over the edge like a wave breaking on a seashore along with him. For a few more hard thrusts she rode the blissful high before letting herself fall onto the man's chest. 

Now that had been… wow. A very big wow. Rey couldn't think straight, her head floating amongst clouds. She pressed her cheek to his chest, listening to the rapid beating of his heart. Couldn't she just stay here for the rest of her life? It was so easy to pretend that she was with a lover, not a stranger she'd met just an hour or two ago. There was something warm about Ben that made her heart hurt. 

Rey finally rolled off him, causing Ben to moan softly as his length was released. She flushed a dark crimson, cheeks burning as it lay upon her thigh. But Ben didn't seem to care, lying there with his chest still heaving and arm thrown across his eyes. Rey peeked up at his expression, but it was utterly hid. 

What now? Did she… leave? Put her dress back on and just walk out?

It was like Ben had read her mind. He lowered his arm and turned, eyes closed as he pulled Rey into his chest and into what was unmistakably a hug. After a few tense moments, Rey relaxed in his grip. “I didn't think sex would be like that,” he murmured into her hair, sighing in contentment. 

Wait. 

“Was this your first time-?” No.  _ Really?  _ Surely she'd read his words wrong. There was no way she'd just taken this man's-

Ben cracked an eye, peering sleepily at her through dark hair fallen across his face. “Yeah, it was.”

“Huh. I never would have guessed.” 

“I know how sex works -- I'm not an idiot.” Ben snorted, sending both their hair fluttering around his face. His grip on her tightened. “Pretty sure I'm not supposed to be hugging you right now, right?”

“Not… not really,” Rey admitted weakly, face just inches away from his own. Rich or not, this man was an adorable fool if anything. A smile quirked at her lips. “But… I like it.” Rey kicked off her heels, letting them tumble to the floor with a thump. At least they'd been good for  _ something.  _ Ben seemed to have liked them. Very much so. 

Ben closed his eyes, a faint smile about his mouth. He let out a soft sigh that brushed Rey's cheek. “Yeah? Good…” He drifted off to sleep in minutes. 

Rey couldn't bring herself to tear herself out of Ben's warm and comfortable embrace to turn the lights off, so she merely closed her eyes and allowed herself the rare luxury of a deep and restful sleep. 

  
  
  


Rey woke up no longer encased in warm arms. She groaned and rolled over onto her back, opening her eyes and blinking blearily at the cream ceiling. It was morning judging by the light streaming into the room, warm and buttery. Parts of her positively ached, but it was such a pleasant burn that she didn't care. The frustration, hurt and anger that had built up over the last year had melted away during the night. Rey felt light, almost new. 

She reached out with her hand, feeling the space next to her, but only found it empty. Disappointment curled deep within her belly, but Rey reminded herself once more that it was only a one night thing. Exclusively so. Why would he still be there? They'd both gotten off -- wasn't that the whole point of the evening? 

But still, he'd been a very nice man. That and very well endowed. It was the perfect mix for a one night… thing. Rey got up and looked around. 

Ben's clothes were gone. Her own lay neatly at the bottom of the bed. Next to her dress was his jacket, presumably for her also. And on top of the jacket was a sheaf of white. A letter. 

She scrambled down the bed and threw herself onto her stomach, snatching up the letter. Maybe he'd left her his number! Or maybe he wanted to see her again -- he'd given her his jacket after all. 

But it wasn't a letter. It didn't even contain his phone number. All it said was  _ Thank You - Ben _ in elegant black cursive. 

Rey sighed, letting the note flutter down onto the bed. “Oh well,” she said glumly, climbing to her feet and grabbing her dress. 

She couldn't find her underwear anywhere. After thinking it over for a long time, Rey recalled the moment Ben had shoved them into the back pocket of his trousers in the elevator. Great (!) Could that morning get any worse now she had to find a way home with her butt bare to the elements? Rey made a mental note not to bend over anytime soon. 

Yikes. 

As she sat down upon the messed up bed to pull on her heels, a flash of color on the floor by her foot caught Rey's attention. It was small and thin, like paper. 

Paper! His number? It must have fallen from the folded thank you. Rey snatched it up straight away, raising it eagerly before her eyes. 

She stared. 

She swore. 

It was a pristine fifty pound note

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Ben... *shakes head* *bursts out laughing* 
> 
>  
> 
> Comments and kudos are love. Until next time! XO


	3. Snapped

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for the enthusiasm both on here and on Twitter. You're all so funny and lovely! And a huge thanks to my best gals, Amber and Rachel. Without you both, I'm pretty sure I never would have posted this fic full stop. Love ya both like Kylo loves being emo. 
> 
> This chapter is unbeta'ed, so all mistakes are because of my impatient arse and I'll fix them later on. 
> 
> Enjoy! xo

Ben was a creep, Rey decided as she waited for her ride. An underwear stealing creep. Had he even been a virgin? Or was that some game, a play he was enacting for his own entertainment?

Rey huffed in indignation as she pulled the creep’s jacket around her, a shield against the chill wind of the morning. The money was now screwed up into a messy ball within her fist. The valet had shooed her away when she'd attempted to wait on the premises, stating that she should stand elsewhere. Anywhere but at Canto Bight. From the way he appraised her attire and long, bare legs, Rey knew what he was thinking -- that she was probably a hooker. 

Maybe she had been without even realising it. In that case, Rey was even more annoyed at the money. Just  _ fifty? _ She didn't know the going rate of hookers, but she was dammed sure that it was a great deal higher than that. 

The cheap ass. 

  
  


When the ride arrived, the driver loosed a low whistle when he caught sight of her messy hair in the rearview mirror. “Looks like  _ someone _ had a good night.”

Oh God-! Rey wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. Aside from her address, she didn't say anything else in response and thankfully the man seemed to get the message, saying nothing for the entire duration of his journey. 

Rey just wanted to go home. She wanted to curl up beneath her covers and stay there until the day she died. Well, once she'd had a shower. She felt filthy, almost sticky between her thighs. It wasn't a nice sensation. 

  
  


After paying the driver and accepting her change, Rey made a beeline for the fake rock hidden beneath the chrysanthemum bushes. She slid it open and tipped the front door key out into her palm before returning the rock to its hiding place. Rey unlocked the security door and stepped inside, heading up two fights of stone steps until she came to her familiar scuffed blue door. 

The apartment wasn't huge, just one bedroom, a small kitchen cum living room and bathroom barely large enough to fit everything in. But it was home.

Rey shut the front door and sighed in relief, sinking against it with her eyes closing. She stood there for a few minutes before walking towards the tatty brown sofa and slipping off Ben's jacket, laying it carefully over the back. The dress she let drop to the floor around her ankles, adding her heels to the pile a second later. 

The water took a long time to warm up. Rey stood in the shower for ages, forehead pressed against the dark blue tiles patterned with dolphins that seemed much too cheerful. It gave her time to think, to rationalise now that she was in her safe, calm space. 

Maybe Ben had meant for the money to be used for her ride home? He'd seemed so nice and genuine after all, and Rey liked to believe that she was a good judge of character. She couldn't believe that a man who hugged after having sex like he had could do anything so cruel. He'd gone right to sleep still holding her. It made Rey feel all fuzzy and warm and  _ wanted _ .

So Rey decided to believe in Ben and the unclear meaning behind the money. And to remember her night with fondness rather than anything bitter. It had been… one hell of a night. Rey's knees felt weak at the very memory of Ben, of watching him come apart beneath her. It made heat flare up in her belly and snake down between her legs.  

She moaned softly as the water finally warmed up, splashing over her head and down her body in thick rivulets. Nothing beat a relaxing shower, not even the amazing sex with Ben. Rey squirmed with discomfort, pressing her thighs together. Even more so when she'd finished washing herself, feeling entirely too sensitive. She ran her palms over her breasts, not at all surprised to find her nipples hard. 

Poe had never made her feel like that before. Hot, sure, but never wet and wanting when she wasn't even in the same room. They'd had passion in abundance when they were teenagers, fucking on every available surface. But then they'd gotten married the second they were both old enough, running away for a shotgun wedding. They'd both been such ridiculous, naïve children, whispering about the family they'd have in the future, the huge house and amazing jobs. As a teenager, Rey definitely hadn't seen being a waitress on her list of dream jobs. Plus she'd innocently believed that they'd be in love forever, nothing coming between them.

She sniffed back tears, thinking of the day she'd arrived home early with a mission: to seduce her husband and fix the broken thing they had that was a marriage. But those plans were in vain as she opened the front door and there he was: fucking Kaydel on the floor with more passion than he'd shown his wife in years. 

What they had was broken. Rey didn't try to fix it after the day she threw her naked husband and her traitor friend out of the apartment and slammed the door shut on them. It was time to think solely about herself.  _ Her  _ own future. And Poe had no place in it. 

Rey slipped a hand down between her legs, pressing a few fingers past her slick folds and against her clit. There were no thoughts of Poe in her head as she played with herself under the cooling water, only Ben. It was only his fingers she imagined inside of her, his name she moaned under her breath as she crested, eyes clenched tight shut and lips parted. 

She turned the shower off and grabbed a towel. 

  
  


The loud knocking started just an hour after Rey had dried her hair and slipped into comfortable shorts and vest. She knew the knock pattern well enough to know who it was, opening the door without even looking through the little peephole. 

Rose bustled in and shut the door behind her, whacking her bag against the wall in her eagerness to turn around. Rey stood there and waited for the inevitable grilling to start. It took all of ten seconds for Rose to begin speaking. 

“So!” she began, setting the bag down by the front door. A cheeky smile spread across her face. “Spill.  _ Everything.  _ And I mean everything, missus.”

Rey groaned and slapped a hand over her eyes for a moment. “You know what happened.”

“Not the details. Which I really want to know, by the way. That man was  _ hot.  _ Stupidly tall and buff, but hot. Please tell me you tapped that.”

“I tapped that,” Rey admitted grudgingly, trying not to smile. She was proud of herself, and why shouldn't she be? She'd rocked that man's world, and literally. Rocked her own also. 

Rose grinned, shucking off her coat and tossing it over the back of the sofa next to Ben's jacket. She kept her fluffy yellow scarf on, adjusting it slightly as she sat down upon the sofa. Rey joined her, sitting on the edge. 

“So,” Rose asked keenly, “did you have fun?”

“Yes, surprisingly. Ben was… very nice. Really nice, in fact.” Plus Ben could kiss like a storm. That hadn't hurt. 

“Aww, I'm so glad. My little Rey slept with a  _ real  _ man! Look, I'm tearing up right now.” She made a show of wiping away a single tear at the corner of her eye. 

Rey laughed, shaking her head. Rose was always so caring and kind. She couldn't imagine a world in which they were not best friends. “What did you do when we left? I'm sorry I just went like that, by the way. Hormones took over.”

Rose went scarlet; her fingers found the scarf at her throat and she fidgeted with it for a moment. “Um… yeah. That's a good one. A question, I mean. Yeah, I kind of…”

Rey stared, then her mouth fell open in understanding. “Did you  _ sleep  _ with that man? Frank?”

“Finn!” she corrected instantly, cheeks well and truly crimson by now. “His name… uh… it's Finn. He was very nice too. Nice hip movements and… Yeah.” 

“How-? No, I don't want to know how you seduced him out of his pants.”

“It was very awkward. I don't even  _ want  _ to tell you about last night.”

Rey's eyes found the scarf and she smirked. Ahhh... “It must have been if you're hiding your neck. I know what love bites are, Rose. I'm not that innocent. I've had some before.”

Shrugging her shoulders, Rose didn't meet her amused friend's eyes. “Yeah well… I'm keeping them covered for now. He gave me his number this morning. He wants to see me again.” She grinned triumphantly. 

There -- jealousy. Finn had left his number, so why not Ben? Rey felt sad, yet forced herself to be happy for her friend. Rose didn't date. This was as huge for her as the last night had been for Rey. 

“That's amazing! I'm so happy for you, Rose. I truly am.”

Rose beamed, then cocked her head inquisitively. “What about your sexy Ben? Did he leave his number? Does he want some more hot Rey loving?”

A sigh. “No. But he did leave something else...” 

Rey told her everything: the note and the money, her disappointment and theories about the money itself. Rose listened patiently until she was finished, then took Rey's hand into her own and squeezed it. “It was for the taxi, Rey. This Ben sounds sweet from your description. He  _ definitely _ wasn't calling you a prostitute. You know what men can be like sometimes. Remember that Thomas?”

It was a big, huge relief to be told that. Truly. Rey loosed a weary sigh, a weight on her heart lifting. “I was so worried…”

Thank  _ God _ she hadn't lost her shit. 

“Wait a moment-” Rose froze, staring at her friend. She swore. “Rey,  _ please _ tell me you used protection last night. Because you didn't take any of the condoms from my bag, I know that.”

Rey waved a hand nonchalantly. “It's fine, I have an implant.” And Ben had been a virgin, so no nasty surprises awaited her. Well, as long as he'd been telling the truth. 

“You do know they don't last forever, right?”

“Wait. What?” Rey felt like she'd been slapped in the face. “How long do they last?”

“Three years?” Rose grimaced. 

Rey made an awful choking sound, jumping to her feet. “I got it almost four years ago!”

She couldn't have a baby! Could. Not. Would not. Poe had begged her for children when they were newly married and they'd stupidly tried for a few months. Nothing came of it, and for that Rey was now thankful. Bringing up a child while being married to Poe would have been an utter disaster. 

Having a child via a one night stand wasn't much better. 

Rose raised her hands, silencing Rey's frantic babbling and soothing her imminent freak out. “Rey! It's fine! I have pills in my bag for emergencies. You're  _ not _ going to be a baby momma!”

“Why didn't you lead with that?” Rey whined, pressing her palms against her face. God, her heart was pounding so hard that it hurt. 

Reaching down, Rose grabbed her trusty bag and sorted through it for a moment before handing Rey both her mobile phone back and little pink pills; she wasted no time in dashing over to the sink for a glass of water, swallowing the pills without preamble. 

One night stands were more troublesome than they appeared. Rey groaned and rubbed her throbbing forehead -- drinking hadn't helped much. And she had to work that night. Great (!)

A soft hum of voices alerted Rey to the TV being switched on. Rose yawned loudly. “Make me a coffee, pretty please?” She pulled up her knees into her chest and flicked lazily through the channels. She arrived at the morning gossip programme, watching in silence as Rey made them both coffee. 

Rey turned on her phone as she stirred their drinks, watching the screen come to life.  _ Twelve new messages  _ popped up a moment later on the screen and she scoffed, turning the phone over. Poe, no doubt. When he got drunk he had a tendency to message, begging pathetically for forgiveness. The complete idiot. Didn't he know how much that hurt her? 

Probably not. 

So Rey ignored the phone and went back to making coffee, putting bread into the toaster next to it. Behind her, Rose suddenly burst out laughing. 

“What stupid thing has the world done now?” Rey asked, keeping her eyes on the toaster -- it was a temperamental piece of shit. God she needed a new one before the current monster exploded in her face and ruined good bread. 

“Not the world, just the monarchy. Apparently, reclusive Prince Benjamin was caught partying with a girl last night, then he took her back to his hotel.  _ And _ they spent the night together in the same room. How could anyone be so stupid? There's CCTV  _ everywhere _ these days.” She sighed happily, smiling in a wistful way. “Prince Benjamin and his secret lady love are adorable. They  _ must _ be in love to be sneaking around like that together. I'm all a’flutter. I wonder who she is? Still, what fools to get caught.”

She'd been that foolish with her own Ben, Rey thought. It had been so wonderfully spontaneous and unexpected when they'd gotten into the elevator. Those little twists and thrusts of Ben's fingers inside of her had felt so amazing, a fitting prelude to the main event.

Rey was pretty certain that when she went to bed that evening, she'd be lying there with a hand between her legs and a moan upon her lips. Though the thought made her blush, she wasn't ashamed. So very far from it. 

She said nothing about the prince and his secret woman, going back to stirring the coffee. She had no interest in the monarchy. None at all. They were stuck up and stuffy, obsessed with the past in most cases. Well, except for Queen Leia. She'd broken centuries of tradition in marrying a man who hadn't a single drop of royal blood in his veins. Rey admired the woman for doing something so very bold and outlandish, but it went no further than that. 

“Uh…” Rose suddenly called in a strange voice, “Rey? Can you, uh… come here for a moment? Don't bring the coffee yet. Definitely don't bring your best mug.”

But Rey  _ really  _ wanted her coffee, so she took her own mug with her, cupping it between her palms. The warmth was lovely against her skin. She sat down next to Rose with a thump, careful not to spill any coffee. “What is it?”

The TV had been paused, Rose holding the controller. Her eyes were as wide as saucers as she twisted around to face her friend. “Uh… Rey. Don't freak, yeah?”

“Are you okay?” Rey asked, genuinely concerned. Rose looked like she was either going to faint or be sick. Or both. 

“ _ I'm  _ fine. You on the other hand? I'm not so sure.” She laughed weakly.

“Oh for-!” Rey grabbed the controller and unpaused the TV before Rose could stop her. She fought her for the controller, but Rey won, holding it away from Rose's side of the sofa. 

“Rey!  _ Pause it _ !”

But she didn't. Rey just stared at the TV, her own face looking back out of it. Both she and Ben were walking into Canto Bight on the video, hand in hand with smiles on their faces. Rey didn't even see the headline, just her own slightly blurry face as she leaned up and kissed Ben on the lips. 

Benjamin. 

_ Ben _ . 

He was rich. 

_ Stupidly  _ rich. 

Her Ben had been the Crown Prince, Benjamin Organa-Solo.

Dear God, she'd fucked the Prince of Corellia. And the world thought that they were dating.

The mug of coffee shattered all over the floor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are like cake. And I realllllllly like cake.
> 
> Next chapter? Ben pov!


	4. Proposition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, you are all so ridiculously sweet and lovely. Thank you so much. It means more to me than you will ever know that you enjoy reading my stories. This chapter is unbeta'ed because I'm an impatient potato. And I don't actually have a beta. Yeah. 
> 
> And I know I said this would be a Ben's pov chapter. I even had it all done. But adding Ben's POV into this sadly didn't work as well as I'd hoped it would. I could post some scenes as a small collection if you'd like to read the Ben parts I've already done? Lemme know if you like the sound of that. 
> 
> You can find me on Twitter at @thewickedpowers. 
> 
> xo

Surely Rey's life was over. How could she ever show her face again now? For one thing, it was on every gossip channel. Slightly blurry, but definitely her. Oh, and she was on the mainstream news. Plus she was trending on Twitter and other social media as hashtag Mystery Girl. According to Rose there was a hunt on to figure out her identity. Thankfully it wasn't going so well. For once, Rey was happy that she was ordinary and boring, barely posting anything online other than cat pictures and what food she fancied. Her follower count sat comfortably at twelve -- no, ten now she'd blocked Poe and the cock snatcher that was Kaydel. 

Rey called the diner when at last she was coherent enough to speak to Plutt. She never called in ill, so he let it slide for that evenin without any hassle. Only that evening, mind. She'd have to go in the next day or find herself another job. 

Rey had no idea how she was ever going to make herself leave the security of her apartment. It was a terrifying prospect. 

“I knew there had to be something wrong with him,” she sniffed, blowing her nose into yet another tissue. Rey's eyes were still red and stung from crying. “I'm going to have to change my hair and dye it red. Shave my eyebrows off! Start wearing dresses!”

Rose rubbed her back in soothing circles. “You're not shaving or dyeing  anything, Rey. Calm down. It'll blow over soon enough. No one will even recognise you!”

Would it, though? The internet was relentless in its search when it wanted to know something. Especially something as huge as this. Prince Benjamin -- Ben -- was notoriously private, always shying away from the public eye as much as possible. Just like his father. Rey thought the reason he hid himself away was because he was ugly or unkind. How very wrong she had been;  Ben had been sweet and generous, not at all what Rey had expected from a prince. Thank God the media didn't know that she'd taken his virginity. If he hadn't been lying, that was. 

Plus he was a good hugger. That was important as well. 

Rey sat back against the sofa, feeling entirely miserable. “What are the odds? How can my luck be this bad, Rose?” she whined desperately. 

“Yeah, well… no one expects to sleep with a prince by accident, Rey. It's okay to feel shocked.” She patted her friend's knee now, smiling reassuringly. “It will all turn out fine, trust me.”

That was easy for her to say; she hadn't ridden their prince like a he was some horse! A thought occurred to Rey and she frowned, looking around to Rose. “So... who was Finn? His bodyguard?”

Rose's lips parted in surprise, eyes widening. “Oh! I never thought of that. He wasn't very happy at all that Ben left. It took him a long time to finally calm down and listen to me when I assured him that you were not a criminal or anything. I just thought he was looking out for his boss, or trying to get into his good books.”

Rey's face fell into her hands. “So I slept with a prince and you seduced his bodyguard. Isn't this the plot of a bad comedy movie or something?” Why hadn't the ground opened up and swallowed her up yet? Rey just felt sick. 

Rose grimaced, reaching out to touch her again. “Rey…”

She stood up, shaking her head. Rey took a deep breath, looking down at the colossal mess of tea and China still covering the carpet. Her poor, sweet mug. Gone forever. “Go home, Rose. I'll be fine. I'm going to clean up and do some thinking. Try to deal with whatever this is like a sensible, rational adult.“

“Are you sure you don't want me to stay and help?” Rose got to her feet, worrying her bottom lip like she always did when she was concerned. 

Rey smiled kindly, hugging her friend tight without warning. She returned it fiercely. “Thank you, Rose. But go home, I'll be alright. This is nothing next to the shit with Poe. Like you said, it'll all blow over soon enough. I'm going to pull on my big girl panties and pull them high.”

“Okay, sweetheart. Call me anytime, yeah? I'm sorry I made you go to  _ Constellations _ .”

“Don't blame yourself. And I had a great time!” Rey added with a true smile. “I really did. Don't blame Ben, it's those who leaked the CCTV that should be blamed. He was nothing but kind to me. I'm glad I met him.”

  
  


Rey turned into a cleaning machine when stressed. The second Rose left, she gathered up the materials and sank down onto her knees, beginning the laborious process of cleaning up the mess of smashed mug and tea. It was cathartic as she picked up every piece, placing them into the bin next to her. Well it usually was; Rey felt nothing but inner turmoil this time. 

What did Ben think of all this publicity? Did he even care about the shit he had gotten her into? Why hadn't she put two and two together somehow? Maybe it could have all been avoided. She could still be simple Rey, living her simple life without fear of eventually being accosted by paparazzi or royal family fans. 

“Ouch-!” Rey swore as a shard of mug sliced her little finger, grabbing the roll of paper towels and tearing one off. She sat crosslegged, misery spreading through her like the blood staining the towel. Rey threw down the roll and just groaned, closing her eyes tight against the sharp pain. 

Oh, it was no use. Her head was a maelstrom of emotions that she didn't want to acknowledge. Rey couldn't focus past it. 

After she put a band aid on her cut finger, Rey crawled into the safety of her bed and fell into an fitful doze. 

She'd be stronger tomorrow. Tonight she just wanted to mope.   
  
  


 

Plutt took one look at her and made a face from behind the counter. “You're not contagious are you? I don't need another unannounced inspection, girl.”

On the whole, Rey had thought that she looked better that evening. Not good, but there was some improvement in twenty-four hours. She'd stopped wallowing in self pity at least. And she'd had another shower. Rey considered that a victory. 

Her big girl panties were on. 

“I'm fine,” Rey assured him, grabbing an apron and pulling it on. It was a bit grubby, but what wasn't at the  _ Outpost  _ diner? How Plutt remained in business sometimes astounded Rey; Hygiene wasn't big on the list once you went past the pristine front of house. At least there was no rats anymore. Rey hoped so anyway. 

Plutt scrubbed a hand across his patchy stubble. He appraised her for a long moment before shrugging, grunting towards the mop bucket. “Get on with it then. You've a lot to make up after yesterday's absence.”

“But I thought my shift was being taken up by-?”

“No one, girl. Get to it. You think I don't have a line of desperate street rats turn up every day, begging for a job? They'd work harder than you. For less money also. Be thankful for my generosity and remember that it isn't infinite.”

Rey held her tongue. Snapping back wouldn't do anything but aggravate the situation, which Plutt thrived on. Confrontation only fueled his bad mood, and Plutt in a bad mood made the already torturous shift seem even longer. 

It was all Poe's fault that she was stuck here, trapped in a never ending cycle of grueling work and sporadic sleep. He and the huge pile of debt he'd conveniently left behind for her to sort out, both their names on the paper. First the bailiffs had taken her car to offset the debt to some credit card Rey had never seen before. Losing the car made Rey lose her job on the other side of town where it was required that she have her own car. With no job, the rent began to build up at an alarming rate, forcing her to seek any kind of job available that she could get to. And she'd found Plutt and the  _Outpost._

Rey had never hated anyone before, but she was pretty certain that she hated her soon-to-be ex-husband. The second he signed that form, she was going to take action and try to regain as much as she could. She had a very good chance of winning a court case and getting her money back, the debt charity had told her. Especially the credit card debts that she'd been forced to pay on his behalf. 

Good. Let him see that his little Rey had claws after all, and wasn't afraid to use them.

And speaking of claws, she _would_ get Bebe back. That butterball of a cat was hers, not Poe's. He didn't have the patience for a cat anyway! Especially not one as needy as Bebe.

But for now, she'd endure Plutt's snide comments and appreciative looks whenever she bent over to pick something up. She could do this. She  _ could.  _

Rey was a warrior, after all. 

  
  


“My goodness-!” one of Rey's regulars, Tim, a small man with golden spectacles and a bushy grey mustache, exclaimed upon peering up at her. “You look just like that mystery lady our Prince Benjamin has been seen with.”

Rey tamped down the rising panic and merely laughed in response, hoping that she didn't sound as freaked as she felt. She poured another coffee into his mug. “I think it's time for new glasses, buddy. Why don't you pop by the opticians later on and book yourself an appointment?” she suggested cheerfully. 

The man grumbled to himself, taking off his glasses and peering down owlishly at them for a moment. He sighed heavily before nslipping them back on. “Perhaps you're right. I've had these since I was in university.”

Judging by his age, Rey was prepared to bet everything she owned that it had been at least ten years. Maybe her advice was solid. 

Rey liked her regulars. They were kind and always tipped her well. But my God, were they observant. Tim wasn't the only one to make the connection, three others noticing the startling resemblance between the girl on the screen and one before them. Rey would laugh at their words and comment that if she was sleeping with a prince, why would she still be working here? That was more than enough to make them chuckle and drop the conversation. It  _ was _ ludicrous after all. 

A week later and no one mentioned it at all, much to Rey's relief. Life all but returned to normal, the same slow pace. Rey dared to let herself breathe a sigh of relief. She'd dodged one hell of a bullet. 

So she thought. 

 

Around midday on Monday, a new face walked into the  _ Outpost.  _ He was very smartly dressed compared to the usual crowd, sporting a crisp dark suit and matching tie. Maybe he was running late for work? No, what was she thinking? No one as finely dressed as he stopped by the  _ Outpost,  _ and definitely not for coffee in one of their chipped mugs. He probably had someone else make his coffee for him while the machine was sat right next to him. And an expensive machine at that.  

Rey floated over with a new mug and gave him one of her best, most brightest smiles. The man was handsome, Rey supposed when she looked at him closer. Ginger hair perfectly smoothed back against his head and nice eyes. It was only the look of thinly veiled disgust that ruined the whole smooth look. 

“May I help you?”

He sat down, though very reluctantly, lips a thin line of distaste. The man withdrew a small photograph from within his jacket and slid it across the counter towards her. “I believe so. This is you, correct?”

Rey frowned, but slowly slid the photograph closer all the same. Her stomach dropped when she saw the same picture the news had been crowing about for a week: she and Prince Benjamin, holding hands. Then kissing. Only this picture was clearer and zoomed in on her face. There was no mistaking the girl for anyone but herself. The resemblance was too uncanny to deny. 

She stuffed the photo into the front of the apron, a deep scowl emerging upon her face. Her heart pounded like a war drum as she checked to make sure no one else had seen the contents of the photograph. The diner was empty. “Who are you? Paparazzi?” she accused with a soft growl. How the hell had they found her-? Just when she had dared to hope of returning to normalcy. 

The man looked suitably offended at being called paparazzi. “Do I look like one of those circling vultures? Where is my camera?”

“I wouldn't know. Now tell me what you're after and then please leave.” Rey's grip on the mug was almost painful. She set it down before it ended up shattering. Why couldn't they leave her well enough alone? Rey hated that her fingers trembled from barely contained panic. 

He sighed, raising a hand to his hair briefly as if he was about to run his fingers through it, but then thought better. “My name is Armitage Hux, and I am here representing the Royal House of Organa-Solo. It's in both our interests that we sweep this… incident under the rug as swiftly as possible.”

“How did you even find me?”

Hux gave her a measured look. “We have our ways, none you will be privy to. What is your name?”

“Rey.” She glanced around the diner, thankful for it still being empty. Maybe Hux had chosen his moment carefully so that they wouldn't be overheard. Plutt was in the back, digging through his office. He'd never hear them unless he came barrelling back into the main area. 

“Rey what?” Hux pressed. 

“Shouldn't you know that if you've been stalking me, Mr. Hux?” Rey retorted, folding her arms across her chest. 

Hux rolled his eyes and withdrew a small notebook, placing it  flat atop the counter. He pulled out a pen as well, opening the notebook and poising the pen to write. “Stalking. A very poor choice of words. But whatever you believe, I suppose. Now, to business: are you pregnant with the Prince's child?”

That took Rey utterly by surprise. “What? No! Of course not!” she nearly yelled before catching herself. 

Hux breathed a visible sigh of relief, writing something down in his notebook. “That's excellent news. Now, who else knows of your dalliance with the prince?”

“Am I being interrogated here?”

“Answer the question, please,” Hux replied patiently. 

“Only my best friend and no one else. Why? Are you going to have us assassinated for knowing? Throw us in a dungeon?”

Hux set the pen down, glaring at her with something akin to frustration. “Hardly. This is damage control -- the less people who know that the prince lay with someone so common, the better. You do understand that being a Crown Prince brings with it a series of obligations and restrictions? Benjamin shall be King one day. He cannot have such a… stain on his record.”

Common? Had he called her  _ common _ ? Rey grabbed the soaked tea towel next to her and threw it at his chest. He made a very undignified noise, recoiling away from it. “Get out,” she snapped. “This  _ common stain  _ has had enough. I am trying to forget about your precious prince, thank you very much. I don't need some pretentious little ginger prick sitting in my  _ place of work  _ talking to me about damage control! My life is a huge mess without adding this to the pile! If you're worried I'll go to the press, don't you think I would have done it by now? I just want to live my life, Mr. Hux. I am not interested in using the monarchy for my own gain, especially Prince Benjamin.”

He stared for a long time after her outburst. Then he simply closed his notebook, a thoughtful expression creasing his brows. “You are not at all what I expected, Miss. Rey. I was prepared to offer you a sizable sum for your silence, but I can already tell that you wouldn't accept it. In fact, I believe that you would tear it up and throw that at me also.”

“You're damn right I would have,” Rey huffed indignantly. First Ben and now Hux? What was with the monarchy and throwing money at her? Sure, she desperately needed the money, but not like this. Never like this. It was… hush money. 

“Wait,” Rey suddenly said as a thought crossed her mind. It was so sudden that it took her aback slightly. “I  _ do _ want something, and it's not money. Just one thing: I want to see Prince Benjamin. Ten minutes, five, I don't care. I have a question to ask him.”

“Give your question to me and I will relay it to him.”

Rey shook her head. “No.  _ I  _ want to see him. Face to face. Alone,” she insisted. 

The money. The fifty pounds note. Perhaps it was better that she didn't know, but Rey knew that she'd never stop thinking about it and the unclear meaning behind it. That and the simple note.  _ Thank you.  _

Thank you for what? Just the sex?

Hux scoffed, rising to his feet. “Impossible. It would be too much of a risk to put the pair of you anywhere near each other. The money would be an easier route.”

“We both know that this isn't impossible. Not for you lot. One question, him and me alone and that is it. That is all I want.”

Hux inclined his head, suspicion clear in his eyes. Rey didn't blame him. It was a strange request after all. “And if we refuse? Will you blackmail the monarchy then? Because it will not happen.”

Rey was insulted that the man thought her so callous and low. God only knew what the man had dealt with on behalf of the family. Quite frankly, she didn't want to know. 

“Then that's the end of it. I'm not a shallow gold digger, Mr. Hux. I do not make it my hobby to go and sleep with princes.”

There was a soft sigh. Hux tucked away his notebook away safely. He smoothed down the lapels of his suit with practiced movements of his fingers. “With all due respect, Miss. Rey, I do not know you. I do not know if this is a front or if you are indeed telling the truth. It's my job to ascertain the truth and assess the threat you may actually be. If you are as honest as you make yourself out to be, my apologies.” He pulled a diner flyer towards him and tapped it with his pen. “Write down your contact number and address. I make no promises, miss. I can say that I will relay your request to the prince and nothing more. Is that acceptable? “

Rey nodded, jotting down her details for the man. She had nothing to hide after all. If they wanted to do a deep dig into her past, fine. They'd find misery, but nothing dangerous or suspicious. Once finished, Hux tucked it safely away and turned. “Good day, Miss. Rey.” He left. 

The second the door shut, Rey sank back against the counter, closing her eyes. Slowly but surely, it all began to sink in and she groaned, pressing her hands into her face. 

Why didn't she just take the hush money? No one would ever know. She could have been free. She could have finally left that dingey little apartment and actually found a house to live in. Far from Poe and her old life. 

But the more Rey thought about it, the more she came to realise that she'd done the brave thing. The good thing also. Accepting that money would have meant that she wasn't true in her intentions, that she was indeed a threat. It made Rey feel sick to consider destroying someone who didn't deserve it. 

It wasn't right. It wasn't right at all. Ben's only crime against her was not telling her his identity. Hardly something to crucify someone over. If she'd been royalty, Rey was damn certain that she wouldn't have said anything either. 

No. She had done the right thing. Yes, she was still in debt, but Rey still felt like herself. Honest and true instead of false.

And if Ben did turn up? Then great. Awesome in fact! She'd be able to tie everything up with a pretty little red bow and get on with her life, the night with the prince nothing more than a memory. 

Feeling much more cheerful, Rey smiled and went back to work scrubbing tables. 

 

Outside, Armitage Hux stopped around a corner and pulled out his mobile, carefully pressing a contact. The person on the other end answered. Hux cleared his throat softly. 

“I've found her, sir. I've found the girl.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gasp. Who is that Hux is talking to??
> 
> Kudos and comments make my brain work faster which makes me write faster. Win-win for all, yay.


End file.
